Back wash cloth



April 28, 1964 w. D. HAHN 3,130,441

BACK WASH CLOTH Filed Jan. 16, 1963 /4 l/6 Fig. 4

Wilbur D. Hahn JNVENToR.

United States Patent O 3,130,441 BACK WASH CLOTH Wilbur D. Hahn, 336 S.Miami Ave., Sidney, Ohio, assigner of fifty percent to John D. Quinn,Sidney, Ohio Filed Jan. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 251,942 3 Claims. (Cl.15-507) This invention generally relates to new and useful improvementsin bath cloths and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, an article of this character which isparticularly useful for washing the back with a minimum of physicalexertion.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a backwash cloth of the aforementioned character which is adapted to contain acake of soap.

Still another important object is to provide, in a back Wash clothincluding an elongated soap casing or envelope and operating cordstherefor, novel means for detachably securing said cords to the ends ofthe envelope in a manner to prevent said envelope from twisting orrolling when in use.

Another object is to provide a back bath or wash cloth of the characterset forth wherein the operating cords, when not in use, may be drawninto the casing or envelope for compactness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a back cloth ofthe character described which, if desired, may also be used as a towelfor drying the back.

Other objects are to provide a back wash cloth or towel which iscomparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of lightweight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at lowcost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing a bath or wash cloth embodyingthe present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the back wash cloth per se;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scalethrough the device, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially on the line 4 4 of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of the device, showing one of the cordanchor plates removed from the casing or envelope.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises anelongated flexible casing or envelope of suitable dimensions which isdesignated generally by reference numeral 6, said envelope includingrounded end portions 7. The casing or envelope 6 further includesduplicate substantially oval fabric sheets 8 of toweling or othersuitable material having their marginal portions secured together by astitched hem 9. At an intermediate point on one side of the envelope 6,the stitching 9 is interrupted to provide an access opening or slit 10.The slit or opening 10 is of sufficient size for the insertion of a cakeof soap in the pocket 6, as indicated at 11.

Operating cords 12 of suitable flexible material are provided for thepocket 6. At the inner ends thereof the operating cords 12 includebranches 13 to the free end portions of which substantiallykidney-shaped anchoring plates 14 are secured. In the embodiment shown,the branches 13 of the anchoring cords 12 pass through perforations 15which are provided therefor in the plates 14 and said branches areanchored in said plates by knots 16.

The plates 14 may be of plastic or any other suitable material.

The stitching 9 is also interrupted in the ends 7 of the envelope 6 toprovide openings or slits 17 in which the operating cords 12 and thebranches 13 thereof are slidable. Attached to the outer or free ends ofthe operating cords 12 are handles in the form of rings 18.

It is thought that the use of the Wash cloth will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the foregoing. Briey, the soap cake 11 isinserted in the pocket 6 through the slit or opening 10. The handles 18are then grasped with the two hands and the pocket 6 with the soap 11therein is worked over the back, as indicated at 19. If desired, thethumbs may be inserted through the handles or rings 18 as shown inFIGURE 1 of the drawing. The construction and arrangement is such thatthe desired pressure may easily be applied. When the pocket 6 isstretched or tensioned between the cords 12 during use, the longitudinalslit or opening 10 is closed in an obvious manner. The forked operatingcord 12 and the anchoring plates 14 prevent the pocket 6 from twistingor rolling. The construction and arrangement also is such that theoperating cords 12 may be readily removed from the pocket 6. Further,the operating cords 12, when not in use, may be withdrawn into thepocket 6 for compactness and to be out of the way. While the device isprimarily intended for use as a wash cloth it may also be used as atowel for drying the back or for any other purpose for which it may befound adapted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A back wash cloth comprising a substantially iiat elongated exibleenvelope consisting of a pair of opposed soft foraminous sheets,stitching securing lthe marginal portions of the sheets, said stitchingbeing interrupted at each end of the envelope so as to form end slitsand along one longitudinal edge thereof so as to form aside slit, saidside slit being of a size so as to allow for an introduction of a cakeof soap between the sheets, elongated exible operating cords, one cordbeing freely slidable through each end slit for substantially the fulllength of said cord, a at plate secured to the inner end of each cordand located within the envelope, each plate being of a greater widththan the corresponding end slit so as to preclude passage of the platetherethrough, said cords including handle means on the outer endsthereof whereby a pull in opposite directions on the handle means willresult in an axial tensioning of the envelope in a manner so as to closethe side slit for retaining a cake of soap therein.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said handle means are of a size soas to pass through the end slits whereby the entire cords can beretracted into the envelope.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the side slit is of a size so as toallow for a passage of the flat plates therethrough so as to allow for acomplete removal of the cords from the envelope.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,047,386 Clow Dec. 17, 1912 1,714,687 McKeag May 28, 1929 2,730,745Norman Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,906 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1927

1. A BACK WASH CLOTH COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ELONGATED FLEXIBLEENVELOPE CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF OPPOSED SOFT FORAMINOUS SHEETS,STITCHING SECURING THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THE SHEETS, SAID STITCHINGBEING INTERRUPTED AT EACH END OF THE ENVELOPE SO AS TO FORM END SLITSAND ALONG ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF SO AS TO FORM A SIDE SLIT, SAIDSIDE SLIT BEING OF A SIZE SO AS TO ALLOW FOR AN INTRODUCTION OF A CAKEOF SOAP BETWEEN THE SHEETS, ELONGATED FLEXIBLE OPERATING CORDS, ONE CORDBEING FREELY SLIDABLE THROUGH EACH END SLIT FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULLLENGTH OF SAID CORD, A FLAT PLATE SECURED TO THE INNER END OF EACH CORDAND LOCATED WITHIN THE ENVELOPE, EACH PLATE BEING OF A GREATER WIDTHTHAN THE CORRESPONDING END SLIT SO AS TO PRECLUDE PASSAGE OF THE PLATETHERETHROUGH, SAID CORDS INCLUDING HANDLE MEANS ON THE OUTER ENDSTHEREOF WHEREBY A PULL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ON THE HANDLE MEANS WILLRESULT IN AN AXIAL TENSIONING OF THE ENVELOPE IN A MANNER SO AS TO CLOSETHE SIDE SLIT FOR RETAINING A CAKE OF SOAP THEREIN.